Unfortunately this is the only kitchen I could find in the FKB with Virginia Mist (I think it's also known as Jet Mist ???) granite, which I think some soapstone lovers use (for the same reason you indicated).

???

Thanks rmkitchen. I'll do some research on Honed Virginia Mist. I would hope that's it's one of those low low maintance granites. I keep flip flopping on this. Thank goodness I have till this summer to make up my mind!

I couldn't find soaptstone to work for my island, so I used Cambrian Black in a brushed finish. It isn't soapstone (which I still love), but I love it too. It does not have the white veins though, so if you want that look it might not work.

I went through what you did - and for the same reasons. I actually went so far as to put a deposit on a slab of honed jet mist. Then I went to the yard to "visit" my slab and saw the most gorgeous soapstone counter in the showroom - DH agreed we had to have soapstone (Or he'd never hear the end of it!) and here we are...stoners! My stone has veins but it's of the harder variety - I had one tiny scratch on it that is long gone with absolutely no effort. But, the honed jet mist is beautiful - it's just not soapstone.

coleen... what soapstone did you use? Any pics?

My interest in soapstone was never driven by a desire for black or close to black countetops. I just fell in love with the beautiful white crazy veining of the Santa Rita Venata and the ground just happened to be black! I may have to rethink my entire mindset. Thank goodness I have till summer to make up my mind. I may go back to my orginal thought of a quartz product which I have now and is absolutely no maintance... and I am a decidedly low maintance girl. Too bad though... I was SO looking forward to the notion of stroking my satiny smooth countertops...

remodelfla, I have had the same thing happen to me. I have been planning to use marble all along, but I have now fallen in love with the beautiful white veins running through soapstone. I have never touched it and seen it in person and I have a feeling when I go look at slabs, it will be all over.

I have never really liked the granites with flecks in it, just not my style. I love the veins and the movement in marble so it makes sense that I like the large veins in soapstone too. Now I think that I'll have to have both marble and soapstone in my kitchen if my budget can take it. If not I think I will be heartbroken.

Take a look at the gallery pics on Tom's site. He's installed soapstone in numerous styles of kitchens. I think it would be lovely in yours.

Btw, I have Green Mountain "Original" and it doesn't scratch easily, very low maintenance, imo. That's one of the beauties of soapstone - you can do as little or as much "maintenance" as you like. You can leave it natural gray and let it patina on its own (which will take some time and be darker in some areas than others), or you can help it along by applying oil or beeswax/oil mix. Scratches easily disappear or sand out but I think that problem is over stressed. I've had mine for a year and rarely scratch it and I'm not overly careful with it.

Good luck in your choice. Virginia Mist granite is beautiful, too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tom's gallery

I love marble too but don't want to deal with maintance and etching. Again, I have LOVED the maintance free part of quartz and it always looks clean but the big BUT is that it is so totally uniform and super shiney. I've had it six years and there are tons of new colors out there plus honed finishes so I know there are still tons of options. My problem is... I like some of everything!

Nasty nasty budget constraints....

here's my 2 cents. Up until about an hour ago I could have cared less about soapstone..oh sure I lusted after it a bit but I never really considered it because it's so expensive. that changed when I discovered I had it in my cellar in my sinks, and now I understand. There's just something about it that makes it so fun to say it's real soapstone and there are no other pieces in the world like it.

angelcub... thanks for the great link. He even had some pics posted with more contemporary maple cabs and the soapstone.

buffettgirl... I haven't even priced it yet! I rather play in fantasyland...
I am prepared for stickershock though.

I WANT A HARD SOAPSTONE WITH TONS OF BIG WHITE VEINING!!!

Here are pics of my honed Virginia Mist granite. I'ts not in FKB because my kitchen in not quite F. I really love soapstone but was unable to find any in my small southern city. I've been really happy with my granite alternative.

{{!gwi}}

I'm getting Green Mountain soapstone, too - green with big green and white veins. I am doing a contemporary kitchen - slab cherry cabinets and a hardwood floor. Trust me, nobody is more low maintenance than I; one of the reasons I am choosing soapstone. My cabinets have arrived at the local warehouse, and I hope that a month from now I will have made some progress on this contemporary kitchen with a soapstone counter and can show some pix. Tom's pictures are gorgeous - thanks for the link!

raynag...
What kind of Green Mountain are you getting? Do you have any pics of the slab you pic'd out? Most of the slabs I've seen on any site are blackish except for the Rainforest Green I saw on M. Teixeria where I saw the Rainforest Green. If I do end up using soapstone I'm having florida-joshua do the work. His company is located on the other Florida coast from me but they travel for a charge. There supplier is M. Teixeria. Are the stones from Green Mountain that different? So full of questions for so early in the morning....

Remodelfla -these pix are in another post, but I'll post it again at the risk of boring everybody- LOL.

Sorry, I posted this without answering all your questions. I really never got to look through the slabs at M.Tex because I hadn't seen a sample that spoke to me - except for the Rainforest Green, which didn't feel like soapstone and was in any case, the most expensive at $115/sq ft installed. Argh. I don't know what Joshua's prices are like or whether he can get you a sample of Rainforest. Joshua??

Green Mountain uses different quarries, so that accounts for the different varieties. And this beautiful "origiinal" soapstone eventually turns a dark green that is almost black, I think. I do like the gray soapstones, too - but my body has a craving for green. What can I say?

OK.. I got it. That beautiful slab is called "Original". It reminds me of the Santa Rita Venata that also has that wild white veining that is calling my name. Do you know if the "Original is of the softer varieties like the Santa Rita Venata? I know the Rainforest Green is at the top of the line and going to cost me a bundle; but if I esitimated my measurements correctly; I'll only need about 33 sq ft. on my perimenter cabs. (going with something different on my island). I'm really into countertops and backsplashes. That is what draws my eye. I've decided to keep my cheapo Millsprides cabs and build an island out of something more medium brown. May even consider IKEA. I would rather go for a killer countertop and glass backsplash then spend it on the cabs. As long as they open/close/look good/ dont' fall down... I'm happy enough. Sooo... $1000 one way or the other won't keep me this time from getting my dream. My boys are finally starting to get out on their own and after raising them myself I say.... it's time I work a little for what I want. That is until they settle down and give me my grandchildren....:-)

remodelfla - sorry I didn't catch your post before - unfortunately mine is just called "soapstone" because I got it through the granite dealer (Because they had my deposit for honed jet mist). I believe it's original. It's black and there are veins but they are not as dramatic as some of the other beautiful stones that people here have.

raynag, that is just beautiful soapstone. If I wanted something like that but not the green, what would be my best bet?

donna214,
I don't mean to answer on behalf of raynag but my research has led me to Santa Rita Venata as having the same look. Tons of spectacular veining. Do you think raynag's stone looks green? On my monitor it looks more black/charcoal/white

remodelfla, here is a closeup of my GM "Original". It is not green although it does have green veining along with the white. I assure you, no one comes into my kitchen and says, "Oh, you have green counters." It is more like, "Oh, I love your black counters! What are they?" : ) Also, GMO is not one of the softer soapstones. HTH!

{{!gwi}}

angelcub... what a BEAUTIFUL piece of stone. I didn't realize that the Green Mountain Original was a harder stone then the Santa Rita Venata. It has the same look. I don't think Joshua deals with that dealer... Poor Joshua and Mimi, now I'll have even more questions for them! Thanks so much for taking the time to post.

Yes, on my monitor raynag's soapstone looks like the veins have a definite green tint to them.

Angelcub, your soapstone is stunning!

Angelclub - that is a beaut! My stone is a very busy piece compared to yours.

Remodelfla - The Santa Rita Venata or the SRV Light at M.Tex are also beautiful, and apparently the Santa Rita quarries have green in their slabs - so Joshua may be able to get one for you with a lot of green in it.

I thought my soapstone was rather soft, since I managed to put a ding in one sample of the GM. On the other hand, I could'nt seem to scratch it with my fingernail when I tried.
HOnestly, I have no experience with any of these. Remains to be seen.

Don't say poor me,

Look familiar??

{{!gwi}}

How bout something different? It's only a sample, but I don't have pics of a full kitchen yet.

{{!gwi}}

Did I hear green??

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Ok the Julia pictured above will tone down quite a bit to a darker tone but WoW!!

How bout some veining??

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Or

{{!gwi}}

Yep 2 or 3 of these slabs left.

How bout another brushed finished job??? Yes there is a seam in this picture.

{{!gwi}}

The problem is not getting the stone but the cost involved with getting the stone. I had a customer that wanted to import a specific stone in, could do it, he didn't want to pay for the costs (he also wanted brushed finish, edgework, seams in the right spots, along with the most expensive stone) . . . The stone he wanted was a directional veining, you can't put the seams anywhere. He will prob go with someone who will do the fab work cheaper, and I'm sorry I won't cut costs because my name will go on the work I do. You cut cost below a certain level you have to sacrafice quality. Not going to do it.

Mmmmmm... I love those last two pics with the veining... Though I haven't had the pleasure (yet) to see your work in person Joshua; I have ABSOLUTELY no doubt that you are an artist with this stone and worth every penny you charge. My LLLOOOONNNGGG term fiance (engaged for perpetuity) usually has one of two responses to redecorating ..."what's wrong with what we have".... OR "that's nice honey". Since he's reconcilled that I am doing a partial remodel; I know he'll be happy with whatever I pick out. This is why retirement is NOT in my future. I like to spend my money too much! Soapstone may be right for me afterall... I live life with a "if it feels good... go for it!" attitude. Does that make ME and soapstone self indulgent??.. :-)

here are some photos from Dorado Soapstone in Texas

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{{!gwi}}

ali440,
Do you know the name of those soapstones? Is the last one pictured leathered/brushed? The second one looks almost blueish... I don't know if it's my monitor. Blue is actually my favorite color...

Yes those are all beleza honed. They do have leathered but i didnt ask for any of those pics. They can send you any pics you need they have a website doradosoapstone.com... And i think the second one... it may just be the way that picture is i dont know i didnt see any blue stone while we were there :)

Remodelfla - my GM original was installed today and my fabricator told me that it comes from a Santa Rita quarry and is very similar to the Santa Rita Venata you fell in love with. here, unoiled, is a section of the island piece with all those lovely big veins.